(qlmbusinessnews.com . Fri 25th Jul, 2025) London, UK —
Pandemic Aftermath: Surge in Shoplifting Forces Retailers to Call for Action
Retail sector alarmed as shoplifting in England and Wales hits record high, according to new data
Retailers across England and Wales are facing an unprecedented surge in shoplifting, with incidents reaching their highest levels since modern record-keeping began over twenty years ago. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has reported a staggering 530,643 shoplifting offences in the year leading up to March, marking a 20% rise from the year before.
The outbreak of the pandemic has been linked with “sharp increases” in retail theft, as revealed by the ONS. Retail organisations have voiced significant concerns over the rise in organized retail crime, describing scenarios where criminal gangs systematically target multiple stores in quick succession.
According to the latest figures from the Crime Survey for England and Wales for the year up to March 2025, shoplifting offences have escalated to the highest levels observed since the introduction of the current police recording methodologies in the year to March 2003.
Tom Ironside, the director of the British Retailers Association, stated, “The ONS figures confirm the widespread message from retailers that retail theft is rocketing out of hand.” Ironside highlighted the far-reaching impact of such crimes, emphasizing the associated violence and abuse faced by staff, along with a hefty £2.2 billion annual cost burdening retailers and consumers alike.
“The increase in organized crime is particularly alarming, with organised gangs systematically raiding a series of stores in broad daylight,” Ironside added.
James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), pointed out that the official statistics barely scratch the surface of the issue. He referenced an ACS crime report which recorded over 6.2 million shoplifting incidents in convenience stores alone over the past year.
Lowman criticised the lack of confidence among retailers in the criminal justice system's commitment to tackling retail crime, mentioning, “Retailers express doubts about reporting crimes due to scepticism towards their investigation.”
He called for a more stringent approach across the justice system to deter retail crime and curb the cycle of repeat offences perpetrated by criminals who act with impunity.
Earlier in the year, the government introduced the Crime and Policing Bill, with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper citing it as a measure against the “epidemic of street theft”, including shoplifting. The bill proposes removing the current £200 threshold that often results in lesser police prioritisation for smaller-scale thefts.
Ironside expressed support for the bill, suggesting that eliminating the threshold would underline a zero-tolerance stance towards all instances of shoplifting.
In response to the escalating shoplifting statistics, Ms Cooper outlined the government's initiative to reinforce local policing. She announced plans to enhance police presence in over 500 town centres with additional patrols, alongside the introduction of 3,000 more neighbourhood officers and police community support officers by the upcoming spring.
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